Visiting the Sick

It is a Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to visit the sick. We should always visit those who are sick because it helps us to reflect and take heed, as those who are ill are close to Allah Ta’ala. We have only to consider that the sick person has no one to call but Allah, nothing to reflect on but Allah, and his condition reminds us of the blessing of health.

Hadrat Abu Moosa رضى الله تعالى عنه reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘Visit the sick, feed the hungry and free the one who is imprisoned (unjustly).’ [Sahih Bukhaari]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah رضى الله تعالى عنه reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “On the Day of Qiyaamah, Allah Ta’ala will announce: O son of Aadam, I was sick yet you did not visit me. He will reply, ‘O Allah, how could I have visited You since you are Rabbul ‘aalameen? Allah Ta’ala will say: Did you not know that so and so slave of mine was sick, and yet you did not visit him? Should you have visited him you would have found Me by him.” [Sahih Muslim]

Hadrat Ali رضى الله تعالى عنه reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘When a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother in the morning, seventy thousand angels make dua for his forgiveness till the evening. And when he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand angels make dua for his forgiveness till the morning, and he will be granted a garden for it in Jannah.’ [Timizi, Abu Dawood]

Hadrat Anas رضى الله تعالى عنه reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘When a person performs a proper wudhu (observing all its etiquette) and then goes to visit his sick Muslim brother with the intention of gaining sawaab, then he will be kept far away from the Fire of Jahannam by a distance equivalent of Sixty years.’ [Abu Dawood]

Our Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also said, ‘Whoever visits a sick person (for the pleasure of Allah), a Caller from the skies announces: You are indeed blessed and your walking is blessed and you have (by this noble act) built yourself a home in Jannah.’ [Ibn Maajah]

Hadrat Ibn Abbaas رضى الله تعالى عنه relates: It is part of the Sunnah that when you visit a sick person, you should shorten your visit to him and make the least amount of noise by him. [Mishkaat]

Once our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘The best type of visit to a sick person is when the visitor gets up to leave without delay.’ [Bayhaqi]

If we act upon these simple teachings, then the visitors to a hospital will no longer remain a problem for those who are in charge of the administration of hospitals.

Hadrat Umm Salmah رضى الله عنها relates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘When you visit a sick person or (go to the home of) someone who has died, then speak only what is good, for the angels say ‘aameen’ to whatever you will say.’ [Sahih Muslim]

Hadrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri رضى الله تعالى عنه reports that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘When you visit a sick person, speak in a reassuring way to him (about his age and his life).’ (For instance, tell him, ‘Alhamdulillah, your health has improved’ or ‘Inshaa Allah you will get better soon.’) Saying this will not delay what is predestined, but it will certainly make him feel happy.’ [Tirmizi, Ibn Maajah]

Source: Sickness- also a Mercy from Allah

Accepting an Invitation

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Umar (Radiyallahu anhu) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“The person who is invited amongst you by his brother should accept the invitation whether it is a wedding invitation or anything similar to it.” [Muslim]

Hadhrat Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiallahu anhu) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“If anyone of you is invited to partake of meals, he should at least accept the invitation. Thereafter he may partake of it if he desires or he may totally abstain from it.” [Muslim]

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“If anyone of you is invited for meals, he should accept the invitation. If he is fasting, he should make Duaa (of goodness and blessing) for the inviter (some maintain that he should set out and perform salaah at the host’s house), and if he is not fastin he should partake of the meal.” [Muslim]

No excuse will be entertained in declining an invitation. However, if wine and other intoxicants are provided at the invitation or food will be eaten out of gold and silver utensils or there is a fear of any other evil, one should on no account accept the invitation.

If uninvited people accompany one who is invited, he should firstly seek the host’s consent so that he is not annoyed and disheartened (by the arrival of an uninvited guest).

Hadhrat Abu Masood Badri (radiallahu anhu) narrates: A certain person invited the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم over for meals. Including the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, food was prepared for 5 people. On the way to the invitation, a sixth person joined them. When the group arrived at the door of the host, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“This person has also joined us. if you wish to, you may permit him or else he will return.”
He (the host) said:
“O Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, I don’t mind him partaking of the meal.” [Muslim]

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood (radiallahu anhu) says that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Accept the invitation of he who invites you. Avoid declining a gift and refrain from annoying the Muslims.” [Muslim]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali

Accompanying the Janazah

This means that one should accompany the deceased up to his grave. On this he will be granted entry into paradise together with a reward of 2 Qeerats.

Hadhrat Thawbaan (R.A.) narrates that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “The one who observes salaah on the deceased receives the reward of one Qeerat whilst he who takes part in the burial as well will be entitled to two Qeerats and each Qeerat is equivalent to Mount Uhad.” [Muslim]

Therefore he who wishes to proceed with the Janazah should wait until the end of the burial so that he may earn the reward of two Qeerats. Together with this, the greater the number of people attending the Namaaz, the more beneficial it is for the deceased.

Hadhrat Ayesha (R.A.) narrates that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “There is no mayyit (deceased) upon whom a group of one hundred Muslims perform the Janazah Salaah and intercede in his favour but the intercession will be accepted.” [Muslim]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali

Meeting another Muslim with a cheerful countenance

When one Muslim meets another he should confront him with a smile and cheerful countenance and physically express his delight in meeting him. This will entail a fortification of love and affection between them. If you confront a grieved person with a cheerful countenance, you might just allay his grief or at least pacify him. A person feels unrestrained in expressing himself if he is confronted cheerfully thereby aiding him in fulfilling his needs.

Hadhrat Abu Dhar (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Don’t ever belittle any of your good deeds even though this may be meeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.” [Muslim]

The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“When two Muslims meets and clasp each others hands, their sins are shed as a tree sheds it’s leaves.”

Together with a buoyant confrontation, clasping each others hands is also mustahab (preferable) as this increases mutual love and affection.

Hadhrat Qatadah (رضى الله تعالى عنه) relates that he enquired of Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) if the companions of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) grasped each others hands whilst meeting. Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) replied: “Yes of course!” [Fathul Baari]

Hadhrat Baraa (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“When two Muslims meet one another and clasp each others hands, they are forgiven even before they separate from one another.” [Abu Daud]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali

Rights of Parents

1. You should not cause them any harm even if they commit any excesses.

2. Respect and honour them in your speech and dealings with them.

3. Obey them in permissible acts.

4. If they are in need of money, assist them even if they are kafirs.

5. The following rights are due to parents after their death:

(a) Continue making duas of forgiveness and mercy for them. Continue sending rewards to them in the form of optional acts of worship and charity on their behalf.

(b) Meet their friends and relatives in a friendly way and also assist them wherever possible.

(c) If you have the finances, fulfil their unpaid debts and the permissible bequests that they have made.

(d) When they pass away, abstain from crying and wailing aloud or else their souls will be troubled.

6. According to the Shariah, the rights of the paternal and maternal grandparents are similar to those of the parents and they should be regarded as such.

7. Similarly, the rights of the maternal and paternal uncles and aunts are similar to those of the parents. This has been deduced from certain Ahadith. (Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “The maternal aunt has the status of one�s mother.” – Tirmidhi)

Replying to One who sneezes

As a right one Muslim enjoys over another, one should reply to the person who sneezes.

Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that two people sneezed in the presence of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He replied to one and not the other. The one who did not get the reply of Yar-Hamukullah said: “So and so sneezed and you replied but you did not do so when I sneezed?” The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “He said “Alhumdulillah” whilst you failed to say Alhumdulillah.” [Muslim]

One of the etiquettes of sneezing is that the sound should be stilted and the nose covered. This ensures that one’s companion are not annoyed if anything comes out of his nose. In the event of any food or person before him, one should turn his face away and sneeze to prevent the particles that emerge from sneezing from falling onto the food or person before him.

Whenever our beloved Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم sneezed, he would cover his face with his hands or with a piece of cloth, so that the sound of the sneeze could not be heard too loudly. [Tirmidhi]

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (رضى الله تعالى عنه) said: I heard Allah’s messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say, “When one of you sneezes and praises Allah, invoke a blessing on him, but if he does not praise Allah do not invoke a blessing on him.” [Muslim]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali